Field of the Invention
The invention relates to both a coupler including male and female couplers detachably coupled to each other, and a guide which is a component part of the coupler. For instance, the coupler in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention can be used for detachably connecting opposite ends of a line-shaped ornament (for instance, a necklace) to each other.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-316616 has suggested an example of a coupler used for an ornament.
FIG. 69 is a perspective view of a coupler 40 suggested in the above-identified Publication, FIG. 70 is an exploded perspective view of the coupler 40, and FIG. 71 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the coupler 40.
As illustrated in FIG. 69, the coupler 40 includes a male part 42 in the form of a bar, and a female part 50 which is hollow in the form of a box.
The male part 42 can be inserted into, and further, taken out of the female part 50. That is, the male part 42 and the female part 50 can be connected to and disconnected from each other.
The male part 42 is connected to one end of a line-shaped ornament such as a necklace and a chain, and the female part 50 is connected to the other end. By connecting the male part 42 and the female part 50 to each other, the line-shaped ornament makes a ring, and accordingly, a user can put the ornament around his/her neck. When a user takes the ornament out of his/her neck, the male part 42 and the female part 50 are disconnected from each other, resulting in that the ring returns to a line, and accordingly, a user can take the ornament out of his/her neck.
The male part 42 has a tapered head 45 at a top end thereof, and is formed with an annular groove 47 in the vicinity of a rear end thereof. A connection ring 49 is connected to a rear end of the male part 42. The line-shaped ornament is connected at one end thereof to the connection ring 49.
As illustrated in FIGS. 69 and 70, the female part 50 includes a box-shaped upper body 51 downwardly open, and a lower body 60 upwardly open and having such a size that the lower body 60 can be inserted into the upper body 51.
A through-hole 57 for allowing the male part 42 to pass through is formed at a wall (a wall through which the male part 42 is inserted into the female part 50) of the upper body 51.
As illustrated in FIG. 70, two cylindrical guides 54 are formed on an inner bottom of the upper body 51. Each of the guides 54 has an inner diameter equal to the same of the through-hole 57. The male part 42 inserted into the female part 50 through the through-hole 58 is supported by the two guides 54.
The upper body 51 has a pair of sidewalls 53 facing each other. Each of the sidewalls 53 is formed with a through-hole 55, into which a shaft 58 is inserted.
The upper body 51 has a connection ring 59 at an end located opposite to the through-hole 57. The other end of the line-shaped ornament is connected to the connection ring 59.
As illustrated in FIG. 70, a semi-circular cut-out is formed as a recess 61 at an upper end of a wall of the lower body 60. The recess 61 has such a size that the recess 61 can be engaged with the groove 47 of the male part 42.
A plurality of concaves and convexes are formed as a non-slip 62 at an outer bottom of the lower body 60. The lower body 60 has a pair of sidewalls 63 facing each other. Each of the sidewalls 63 is formed with a through-hole 65.
The shaft 58 passes through the through-holes 55 of the upper body 51, the through-holes 65 of the lower body 60, and a hole (no reference numeral) of a coil spring 67 to thereby rotatably connect the upper body 51 and the lower body 60 around the shaft 58, and further fix the coil spring 67 in both the upper body 51 and the lower body 60.
Thus, the upper body 51 and the lower body 60 are able to rotate or open/close to each other around the shaft 58. Furthermore, since the coil spring 67 at opposite ends thereof compresses the upper body 51 and the lower body 60 from the inner surface side, the upper body 51 and the lower body 60 are forced by virtue of an elastic force of the coil spring 67 to move in such a direction that they are close relative to each other (a condition as illustrated in FIG. 69 or 71).
The coupler 40 is used as follows.
Inserting the male part 42 into the female part 52 through the through-hole 57, the male part 42 goes into the female part 50, pushing down the lower body 60 through the recess 61.
Further inserting the male part 42, the male part 42 further goes, being supported by the guides 54. When the groove 47 of the male part 42 reaches at the recess 61, the lower body 60 is pushed upwardly by virtue of an elastic force of the coil spring 67, resulting in that the recess 61 is engaged with the groove 47, and thus, the male part 42 and the female part 50 are connected to each other.
When the male part 42 is disconnected from the female part 50, the non-slip 62 of the lower body 60 is pushed up. Thus, the lower body 60 is caused to rotate relative to the upper body 51 around the shaft 58, and accordingly, the recess 61 is lowered, and the male part 42 is disengaged from the groove 47. Then, the male part 42 can be taken out of the female part 50.
FIG. 72 is a perspective view of a coupler 41 described in the above-identified Publication.
Whereas the guides 54 are located on an inner wall of the upper body 51 in the coupler 40 illustrated in FIGS. 69 to 71, the coupler 41 is designed not to include the guide 54 in the upper body 51. Instead, the coupler 41 employs a guide 70 which is a separate part from the upper body 51.
The guide 70 includes a pair of upright walls 71 facing each other. Each of the upright walls 71 is formed with a through-hole 72. By passing the shaft 58 through the through-holes 72, the guide 70 is housed in the lower body 60 together with the coil spring 67.
How the male part 42 is inserted into the female part 50 and how the male part 42 is taken out of the female part 50 are identical with those of the coupler 40.
As illustrated in FIGS. 69 to 71, the shaft 58 is used for assembling the couplers 40 and 41. The shaft 58 is comprised of a pin having a length in the range of about 5 to about 10 mm, and a diameter in the range of about 0.5 to 1.0 mm. In order to assemble the couplers 40 and 41 through the use of such a small pin, there are required high skill, much time, and much labor.
Furthermore, since the coil spring 67 is of a millimeter order size with respect to a length, a height, and a width, and the hole defined by the coil spring 67 is a size through which the shaft 58 can narrowly pass, it requires high skill, much time, and much labor to assemble the coil spring 67 in the upper body 51 and the lower body 60, and further, to insert the shaft 58 into the hole defined by the coil spring 67.
That is, since the conventional couplers 40 and 41 are assembled through the use of small-sized parts such as the shaft 58 and the coil spring 67, it requires much time for assembling the couplers 40 and 41, even though those skilled in the art would assemble them.